Would you agree that the Merle gene in rats (lets say Me/* for argument's sake) is dominant? Or would you say it's (me/me) recessive?
It also sounds a bit like it's not so much 'merle', but splashed, like in mice. Splashed in mice is caused by a dominant gene (Spl/*) in addition to any c-dilution gene (ce c cch etc). It also shows up differently depending on the dilution level of the mice, which is similar to your 'light phase' and 'dark phase' merles. In mice, merle isn't really affected like that, and isn't connected to a dilution gene either. So if 'merle' in rats is connected to the dilution mink gene, would it be a stretch to say it's similar (if not identical) to the splashed gene in mice? Rather than calling it merle?
Everyone is calling it merle, not just you, so it's not necessarily incorrect terminology (since everyone is doing it), but I feel like it's the wrong name for the gene personally.
Edit: More info on splashed in mice. A splashed mouse is a diluted base colour with 'splashes' of colour that are not diluted. This is very similar to these rats.
Here's some splashed mice:
http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...B/DSCN4383.jpg
http://www.thefunmouse.com/varieties...plashedlg2.jpg
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/a...1/CIMG8629.jpg
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